


Americano Sprinkles

by yukkanhei



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: 00s are gremlins, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Attempt at Humor, Awkward Flirting, Barista Suh Youngho | Johnny, Chittaphon Leechaiyapornkul | Ten is a Good Friend, Crushes, Established Relationship, First Kiss, First Meetings, Love Confessions, Love at First Sight, M/M, Meet-Cute, Professor Qian Kun, Romantic Comedy, Waiter Lee Donghyuck | Haechan, dejun appears briefly but what an entrance, silly jealousy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-03
Updated: 2021-01-08
Packaged: 2021-03-13 06:48:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 17,342
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28524234
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yukkanhei/pseuds/yukkanhei
Summary: Ex-world champion barista Johnny Suh loves making coffee, but he only the brews what he feels like, which unfortunately isn't very accommodating for his potential customers.After an old college friend suddenly drops by and announces he plans on investing in his shop, Johnny finds himself surrounded by new staff, new menu, and new counter stools. His old customers remain, tho.And then everyone starts falling in love.
Relationships: Chittaphon Leechaiyapornkul | Ten/Qian Kun, Jung Yoonoh | Jaehyun/Suh Youngho | Johnny, Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Moon Taeil, Liu Yang Yang/Na Jaemin
Comments: 24
Kudos: 142





	1. Ice Cream No Flake Lemon Drizzle

**Author's Note:**

> this is a silly story, meant to be light and full of nonsense. it's also a rework of an old fic i wrote with my friend so i never intended to publish, yet here we are because i found it in my drafts and thought it had funny parts, so i'm sharing it, if only to appease my sudden confidence at making someone chuckle lol  
> i've never worked at a café but my best friends and sister did, and I was a university student once so, yes there's that.  
> i hope you enjoy this attempt at humor :)  
> thank you for reading.
> 
> EDIT: in case anyone wonders about the shop's layout, [ here are some visuals! ](https://twitter.com/YukKanhei/status/1347988924413714437?s=19)  
> :)

“I’m sorry Johnny hyung. But I quit.”

His pulse faltered. He had poured too much. Dammit, this brew was ruined. 

“What the hell Jungwoo?” He turned to glare at his employee. Former employee, apparently.

“Yeah, sorry about that too” the lanky man shrugged, “but not really. See ya!”

“I’m not paying you,” Johnny whispered, as threateningly as he could. Which was a lot, to be honest.

The ex-waiter stared at him deadpanned, and Johnny swore he could see a bit of himself in those eyes. “You already owe me a fortune. But you know what? I don’t care. I’ll take what is mine.”

_ Whatever,  _ thought Johnny,  _ what could he possibly take, a few bags of coffee? _

Johnny saw the man pull something from between the upturned stools over the counter.

“What the fuc--IS THAT MY ESPRESSO MACHINE?!” He scrambled behind the bar, trying to climb over the counter, the clatter of the falling stools echoing in the empty shop. “I’ll call the police! I’ll sue you!”

“I’ll counter-sue you. And you know I’ll win!”

Johnny did a quick sum in his head, and climbed back down from the counter. The machine was barely enough to cover his ex-waiter’s unpaid salary. And it was just an old thing actually, not worth that much other than the sentimental value it had. It had been his very first espresso machine, bought with the prize money from the championship.

He heard the man struggling to close the door behind himself and his loot. To hell with it, he could always buy another. 

“Well it’s not like I needed you!” He shouted, throwing a dirty sink rag at the closing door.

“That is very clear to me!” came Jungwoo's not-so-offended reply from the street.

Johnny Suh stared at his empty, dark, and shabby shop.

“ARGH!!!!” He smashed the closest thing available on the floor. The ring of shattering glass and metal clinking alleviated a bit of his fury. Breaking things always felt good. Too bad it had been one of his only two french presses.

“Shit!”

He stomped out of the preparation area towards the door, closed the blinds and turned over the OPEN sign. Then he stomped back into his tiny adjacent office and slammed the door shut. At least that didn’t break. 

Slumping on his desk chair, he closed his eyes and thought back, trying to find where exactly had it all gone wrong...

When CEO Byun told him he wanted to invest in expanding the café, which back then had been just a window in an alley, Johnny’s mind had gone wild. Finally, finally someone who saw the true worth of his blends, the amazing taste that the world had already recognized when they made him the World Champion the previous year. He was finally going to move from this damp, dark alley towards the main street, across the shopping district, and enjoy the profits!

But he had misunderstood.

What Byun Baekhyun, president of Betcha Candy Co. -a company that literally made everything candy- had meant, was to give him a discount for purchasing the warehouse next to Johnny’s existing tiny shop. Which was also tiny for a warehouse. And was also damp. And had no windows...so it was also dark.

His luscious dreams had shattered into a million pieces. He swore he could still hear the echo from time to time.

Anyways, CEO Byun was a jolly man, who convinced him that his talent and hardwork would certainly pay off. And it did. Kind of. Johnny had tried to spend as less as he could turning his new building into a decent shop, and sacrificed many early weekend mornings hunting for furniture on shady bazaars that most of the time looked more like cleaner versions of dumpsters. 

Old, sometimes smelly furniture, but it was practically FREE furniture, which left him enough money to keep buying only the best quality beans for his brews. 

His ragtag café became an instant success -while the novelty lasted. Which was about a month. And when all the hipsters moved to the the latest bubble tea bar across the street, Johnny Suh, once a world-champion barista, was left with 5 customers: the same old from his tiny alley shop, minus CEO Byun who was now expanding his candy business somewhere else. The man still sent him boxes full of candy though, which Johnny sometimes served as substitutes for sugar. Byun Baekhyun was a saint in his eyes. A wicked one who laughed too much, but a saint no less.

“Fuck this shit, I’m going back to my parents,” he muttered as he stood from his desk.

A loud knocking noise startled him from his wallowing. Who the fuck dared to knock on his office door at this hour?

“Johnny, why is your shop closed in the middle of business hours?”

Fuck.

“Johnny, open up! it’s me!”

He stared in horror at the silhouette by the window. No...it couldn’t be! Johnny held his breath and made no noise; surely if he kept quiet his visitor would tire and leave.

“ _ Johnny~ _ ” The man’s voice from outside the door softened dangerously. And then a slanted dark brown eye peered inside through a hole in the broken blinds. “I can see you, silly.”

Johnny shrieked.

____

“Right, you're saying you  _ might _ be at an  _ impasse.  _ Sorry to burst your bubble, you're actually in quite a bit of trouble.” Ten dropped himself nonchalantly on the chair behind the desk.

“That’s my spot.” Johnny’s eyes narrowed and the other man smiled.

“Let’s talk some more, shall we?” Ten extended a hand towards the rickety old chairs in front of him. Johnny stared at them for a second before making the decision of staying on his feet. 

“I have nothing to say. Give me back my seat.” Johnny rounded his desk and shoved the other man off his chair. Well that's what he had intended to do, instead, he almost collided with the backrest. His visitor had stood abruptly and was now walking towards the shop’s door. 

“Prickly! Let’s see what we've got here!” He turned the doorknob and gaped at the sight. Johnny would never say it out loud but he was expectant. Ten's silence lasted far too long for his liking, and then he saw him cross his arms over his chest and nod.

“ I see.”

Johnny’s cat-like eyes followed Ten’s movement into the shop. 

“It’s larger than I thought,” Ten said. Johnny was startled when his friend scanned him from head to toe, only to look back out at the shop. He saw Ten nodding again. “And it kinda looks like you.” 

Johnny was not sure if that had been an insult or a compliment.

"Ok, so who's your pastry supplier, maybe we can reach an agreement and lower the-"

"I don't sell cakes. I rather not discuss my business with you."

“No cakes? At a coffee shop!?” Ten gasped in shock, "Let me see your menu then!"

"I don't have one."

Ten held his own chin contemplatively, "This is dire oh my god, how you managed to keep your shop open is beyond me. What's the name of this place? You don’t have a sign outside or anything.”

“Americano Sprinkles,” Johnny deadpanned.

“Okay yes, Americano Sprink- seriously? Sprinkles? That’s so cute, I like it! We won’t need to rebrand then. You've been in business for what? Three months?"

"One year. What do you mean rebrand--"

"One year!? How even!?" Ten couldn’t help the incredulity from showing in his voice.

“I have loyal clients. Stop snooping around my cupboards and answer me! Why are you he-”

“At this point I would actually call them sponsors. Guardian angels even.” Ten’s phone rang and the barista saw his friend smirk at the screen while walking towards the exit. “Right, so I have to go. But I’ll drop by tomorrow to evaluate if you are worth the risk. Those are my life savings, you know?”

“Risk of what.”

“Investment, duh. It’s why I came. Anyways, see you later dumbass!”

Johnny scoffed. 

He was  **not** a risk.

____

Johnny surveyed his empty shop, the steady sound and aroma of the coffee roaster in the storage area filling the space around him. 

Okay, well, maybe -maybe- the café  _ could _ be a bit of a risk. 

The shop bell rang and Johnny couldn’t help but glance up towards the entrance, letting out a frustrated sigh when he noticed it wasn’t  **him.** Ten had promised to come by today, but had not stated what hour, leaving him feeling jittery. Instead, he saw a girl who looked like a highschool student wander around the tables, go upstairs, then come back down, choosing to sit at the booth farthest from the counter. Which meant she could directly see Johnny and now he had to go and take her order. “Tsk.”

He went there as slow as he could. He really wasn’t in the mood. “What can I get you?”

She stared at him with mesmerized eyes and a faint blush crept up her cheeks. “Eh...um...w-what’s your special?”

“Americano.”

“No, something sweeter?”

He blinked, “Americano with sugar.”

“Uhm…” she was beginning to frown at him, and he resisted the urge to roll his eyes. “Something for, uhm, girls?”

He stared her down, something rather easy from his vantage point being on his full height. She couldn’t be serious…Coffee was genderless, as everything should be. And he only served the best of the best, his americano brew had won him prizes, and now a year later had been perfected, soft and aromatic without being too watery. He understood some people would never be ready for the magnificence of pure espresso. He was about to suggest the girl cross the street towards the bubble tea bar when the door rang open. 

“How about a latte?” came Ten’s cheerful suggestion from the door.

The girl was visibly relieved, “Yes! Yes, a latte would be perfect!”

Johnny clicked his tongue and sighed loudly. Yeah, he could do that. “One latte coming up.”

____

"You suck at business management, are you sure you finished your bachelor?" Ten said from behind the counter as he watched his barista friend do his barista things, but then his phone rang and he looked back at the screen. There was a chime from the door and in came a woman around her 40’s, who sat at the far end of the booth, near the stairs. 

"Well you suck at coffee. And we graduated together, asshole." Came Johnny’s reply from between the clinking of spoons being thrown at the metal sink. 

Ten stared at him from his phone for a few seconds, noticing a cup of coffee being poured, before going back to typing, "...Your priorities are all wrong."

“And yet I've stayed in business for a year."

"Which defies all logic."

"Your point?"

"That you need me."

"No." The barista said as he exited the preparation area with a cup and saucer in hand, going directly towards the newly arrived customer. Ten was about to open his mouth ready to nag his friend for trying to serve whatever he pleased without asking the customer first, when he noticed the quick smile from the seated woman and the nod from Johnny. 

_ ‘Ah, she’s one of the regulars.’ _

Ten had fully settled into his scout/investor role and shifted on his stool by the counter, looking around for a better place to observe the whole shop dynamics. His eyes zeroed on a lone plush chair and table squeezed between the bar counter and one of the windows, and was making his way towards it when he felt a tug and his shirt collar suddenly choking him. That was definitely Johnny telling him to stay put. He whipped his head around and glared at his friend, who of course was ignoring him again, busy behind the counter. Ten shrugged in defiance and was about to head towards the lonely corner when the door rang again, and this time a pale man dressed head to toe in black came in. He was... handsome. 

Very,  _ very _ handsome. 

Ten rushed to help the client with his stuff, as it was clear he had lost his grip on the big pile of rolled papers he was carrying. He thanked Ten with a brilliant smile -oh he had dimples! He loved dimples!- as he plopped himself into the seat by the window. The man was settling his papers on the table when Johnny’s large hand came out of nowhere and gently placed a taller cup of steaming black coffee in front of the man, who once again smiled brightly, this time at the barista behind him.

“Project deadline, Jaehyun?”

“Yes, I’m going crazy. Your coffee is the only thing keeping me alive.”

“Anytime, Jay. I’ll always have your cup ready,” Johnny said, his lips curling up in a fond smile.

Ten couldn’t help but gape at the scene unfolding before him. Johnny’s warm smile quickly changed into a scowl as their eyes met. 

_ So he’s another regular, huh, that’s his spot,  _ Ten thought as he sat back in his kitchen stool, a pensive hand on his chin,  _ and Johnny was flirting. _

He watched his problaby-soon-to-be-associate work diligently the rest of the evening, Johnny’s enthusiasm and charms grossly exaggerated while this Jaehyun person was around. Ten couldn’t say he had not been amused by the sudden drop in Johnny’s mood after Jaehyun picked up his things and left, a couple of hours later.

Only 8 more clients came by, some of them clearly students from the nearby university -a market Ten planned on focusing into-, but none could be marked as another ‘special’ regular...at least not for that day. He would have to keep an eye for them, and it was in that moment when he made it his personal mission to always treat their ‘specials’ with the utmost respect; he decided he would name -if agreed- a few drinks after them and they would always, always have free cookies.

The loud clatter of cups and dishes banging against the sink brought Ten back from his thoughts. It was dark outside, and him and the current owner of the shop were the only ones left.

"Wait...where's your espresso machine?" asked Ten, his mind suddenly clicking and providing the information he had been subconsciously thinking about all day. He had known there was something missing.

Johnny turned off the sink faucet and cleared his throat, "...in...the...espresso machine shop."

"Is it in for repairs?"

"....No ...I have to buy it."

"You don't have one?!"

"I had one!"

"I don't get it."

"Look, it's a long story shut UP!! I'll partner with you if you stop asking questions. Right. Now."

"You're a lost cause, but I see you still have some sense.” Ten hopped off his seat and took out his phone. “Alright, you need to take a vacation. 3 days sounds good? Yes, that’s great. And I'll have this place looking like a proper cafe in that time."

"Hell no! I'm not leaving you here as if you own the place!"

"I'm the owner too, as of…” Ten stared at his wristwatch "...15 seconds ago! Now leave! And don't come back until the sun has gone down on the third day."

"I'll sue you."

Ten smiled sweetly "Try again, Johnny. Besides if you sue me, I'll cancel the appointment I just made with the Hario sales representative...and the...how do you pronounce that?" Ten held his phone he had been clicking away on during their 'playful' banter.

"Synesso? You're going to talk to a Synesso representative? How?" Johnny narrowed his cat eyes at the offending man before him. 

"I have my ways. I heard Jeju is really nice this time of year.” 

Johnny didn't notice his friend's hands on his shoulders until he was roughly shoved out of his shop into the parking lot. For someone who was a whole head shorter than him, Ten was certainly strong. 

"Pack lightly, Johnny."

____

"Welcome to Americano Sprinkles, I'll be with you in a moment."

“…Who are you?” Johnny asked the unfamiliar face in staff uniform, confused as to why someone he didn't know was currently standing behind his cash register. In staff uniform. 

His café didn't have a uniform. 

“I’m Donghyuck!” the young man exclaimed cutely, even if the sharpness of his gaze and slight huskiness of his voice actually screamed ‘keep your distance or you’ll be eaten’.

“What are you doing?”

“Punching in an order.”

“Why?”

“Because someone placed an order.”

“No, I mean why are you taking orders in the first place?”

“Because I’m on the clock right now?”

“No, I mean…” Johnny sighed and rubbed his temples. This was getting him nowhere.

Ten emerged from the back at that moment. “Johnny! Good morning! Was your trip a pleasant one? I see that you’ve already met Donghyuck too!”

“Ten. Why is he in a uniform?”

“Because I hired him while you were gone, silly. He started yesterday and he’s already doing a great job, isn’t that right Hyuckie?” Ten reached over to pat Donghyuck’s head, who nuzzled his hand like a puppy.

“Why do we even need an extra staff member? And you changed my bar stools!”

“Well, you can’t expect me to take orders, can you? And those old stools of yours were too tall for the counter, my back ached just from looking at them.

Johnny bit his lip. Yeah, he hated those old stools, they were falling apart. “You can perfectly take the customer’s orders, so you’ll get used to the drinks.”

“Details, details. Anyway, Donghyuck will help us part-time after his classes."

"My boyfriend left, I have nothing better to do," piped the new waiter with a bright smile that clashed with his despairing words, and Ten choked on a bemused laugh.

"I-Isn’t he cute? And he loves all the cake so he really knows how to upsell to the customers. Trust me on this one. We got an increase in sales since he came in! Seems like he put in a word for us down at the university, which he didn’t need to but I appreciate.” Ten ended with a nod and a firm pat on Donghyuck’s shoulder.

“…Fine.” Johnny gave in with a sigh. Ten usually had good judgment when it came to people.

Donghyuck beamed at him. “Thanks Boss, I won’t let you down!” Just then, the shop bell rang and a customer walked in, taking the sofa by the window. “Oh! I got this one!” he said, and grabbed a shiny new menu before walking over to the man.

Johnny made to follow, but his friend held him back.

“Watch him,” Ten whispered to Johnny. 

They observed how Donghyuck interacted with the customer, acting cute and making jokes while taking down the order, and the man brightly smiled back at him. Johnny was impressed, for his first days on the job, indeed, Donghyuck was doing quite well. But when Johnny turned to share his approval with Ten, he noticed his friend was no longer paying attention to him but rather staring almost dreamily at the seated customer.

“Oh no, look at that, this one’s got dimples too. I love dimples.” Ten whispered aloud, and Johnny had to blink twice to finish processing the sentence. “And he’s putting on reading glasses, be still my heart!” 

“Are you... crushing on my customer?”

“What, like you don’t have the hots for that Jaehyun guy?”

Johnny tried his best not to blush but of course failed miserably. “That’s-! You should mind your own business, Chittaphon!”

“It’s not like I read your diary, bro, you were flirting right in front of me!” Ten turned around and swatted his friend’s chest, “And don’t call me Chittaphon, only my mother can call me that, and only when she’s angry at me.”

Johnny raised his eyebrows. “Fine. Just don’t bother him, Ten.”

“Why? Oh my gosh, is he one of our angels?” Ten grabbed him by the shoulders, and was now shaking him behind the kitchen counter.

“ _ Angels?  _ Wha- ah, the regulars? Yeah. He’s a teacher at the nearby university.”

“Name, Johnny, I need his name!”

Johnny smirked, “Let’s make a deal.”

“What deal.”

“Buy me the Slayer 3 espresso machine and I’ll tell you his name.”

Ten took out his phone to search for said machine and his eyes bulged. “Are you crazy?!” Ten whispered, tugging his friend down from his collar, “that thing is nearly 30 million won!”

Johnny shrugged. “Do you want his name or not.”

“No man is worth 30 million won, Johnny Suh. Also, you know I can go there and ask him myself, right?”

“Ouch, never tell him that, geez you’re so stingy,” Johnny rubbed over his own heart, “Huh. That’s right,  _ why _ aren’t you approaching him? That’s so not you.”

“Because I thought you were my friend, not a conniving swindler!”

“Hey, I resent that!”

“My savings also resent you.”

Placing one of his big hands over Ten’s face, Johnny shoved him away with minimal effort, walking back towards the storage room at the end of the bar counter. Just then, Donghyuck returned to the counter, and leaned across it, signaling for Ten to do the same.

“His name is Kun, he was my tutor last year. Last I knew, he was still single,” the waiter whispered in his ear.

Ten turned to beam at him, but Donghyuck was gone.

_____

Ten had planned to cajole Johnny into revealing more information about the sexy professor sitting across the shop, but that traitorous giant had all but closed up like a clam, unless Ten promised him the stupid espresso machine. Ten was smarter than that, and more stubborn than Johnny, so he was going to watch and learn whatever he could about Qian Kun without searching for him on social media because that was creepy, never mind that he had done it a thousand times before. 

As it turned out, Professor Qian Kun was both consistent and unpredictable. The man kept punctually arriving at the café at 6:30pm, whenever he deigned to appear that is. Sometimes Kun would visit 3 days in a row, disappear for nearly a week then return on weekends. It really threw a wrench in Ten’s plans because he couldn’t tell when he would show up.

Ten had planned to learn about Kun’s favorite drink, walk over with said drink in hand and thus start a conversation, much like he had seen Johnny do with Jaehyun, but to his surprise Kun never ordered the same drink twice. Johnny usually got distracted enough with teaching Donghyuck how to prepare whatever it was that had been ordered to not tease Ten’s eagerness to serve Kun -thank the gods-, but the universe kept throwing curveballs at him, because as soon as the order was ready Ten was needed somewhere else, answering calls or receiving deliveries through the office’s back door. 

Three weeks into his coffee business adventure, Ten was in a declared war against the ruling powers of destiny, fate and whatever else there was that was not letting him _ talk to _ Kun.

It was not that Ten was shy, au contraire, but in his short not-yet-acquaintance with the man, he had become a little hesitant. Kun looked busy, checking through books and notes, a laptop always by his side. The man always gave Donghyuck a gentle smile when he received his coffee, exchanged a few pleasantries with Johnny sometimes, but usually kept to himself unless a random student rushed into the shop to beg for some extra tutoring. 

That was ending today, yes, because today was the day Ten would gather his courage and defeat his bad luck. 

It was a normal Wednesday actually, Kun at his usual spot enjoying an americano while making notes, looking like the perfect dark academia man of Ten’s dreams in that dark brown V knitted sweater, black trousers and those lovely round wire glasses. Ten had just finished plating the lemon drizzle cake he planned on giving Kun as ‘service’, when suddenly a pair of hands banged on the window next to Kun, startling the man so much he nearly spilled his drink. 

Ten scowled. That could have been dangerous! How dare those kids leave their grimmy handprints on his perfectly clean glass? The shop bell rang, and Ten’s curiosity peaked when the two boys from the window sat down across from Kun, all smiles and cheery vibes. He took a random rag and surreptitiously began wiping the counter, inching closer to the scene.

“Renjun! Jaemin! How are you today?” Kun’s voice carried across the shop, and Ten wished not for the first time that question to be directed at him.

Johnny chose that exact moment to walk up to him.

“I already cleaned that spot.”

“Well I’m doing it again, because cleanliness is godliness. And sanitary. Because we sell food.” Ten rambled, his gaze intent on the professor’s table.

“Speaking of food,” Johnny continued, “this cheesecake you got us is so good, could you contact the seller and ask for their--”

“Shut up Johnny, I’m busy.”

“The fuck dude? I’m trying to restock our pastry display-”

“Oh now you show enthusiasm for cakes?”

“You’re so mean, you are the one who convinced me of selling them. What are you doing?” Johnny stared at Ten then followed his gaze, and snorted, “How about you go take their order and start a conversation, then? Who knows, maybe he’d like you.”

“Shh! Don’t tell me what to do, I’ve got this.”

“O~kay! I was just saying. But don’t forget about the cheesecake!” 

Ten walked out from behind the bar, cake indeed forgotten, and began cleaning the table closest to Kun and his visitors, with the intention to intervene if the guys bothered the professor too much, yeah. The man had been looking tired these past days. 

“How are your assignments going?” Kun said to the boys, taking his glasses off, and Ten tried not to mourn their loss.

“I’ve barely started,” the shorter of the pair admitted sheepishly, scratching the back of his neck. “But Donghyuck mentioned he started a new job and that he would give us free coffee if we visited.”

Ten mentally snorted. Free coffee his ass. It was coming right off from that brat’s next paycheck.

“We had an assignment to do?” asked the other guy, with pink hair.

“…you can’t be serious, Jaemin.” Kun looked incredulous.

“I’m joking of course. Who do you think I am?” Jaemin gave the professor a pompous smile, and both Kun and Ten rolled their eyes.

“Yeah, yeah, okay there. Tehn tell me, how did it go on your midterms.”

“It...it was passable! Don’t expect top of the school results, I’m not a rocket scientist like you, Professor Qian!”

Ten had been gradually inching closer to the sofa where the three were situated, pretending to check on other tables on his way, and he nearly flung his cleaning rag off the table he was wiping. Holyshit, a scientist! Could Kun get any more hot?!

Renjun piped in, “Speaking of which, can you help us study for the final? Pleeeeeease Kun-ge?”

“Hmm,” Kun pretended to think, “depends, what do I get in return? I’m not your teacher anymore.”

“Coffee?” Renjun suggested.

“How many?” he retorted.

“For a week,” Jaemin offered.

“Try again.”

“A month then.”

“With cake if you want,” Renjun pleaded.

“And a kiss from us both,” Jaemin added.

“WHAT?” Renjun and Kun exclaimed simultaneously and this time Kun did spill his drink.

Ten, having witnessed everything, couldn’t hide his annoyance. He made his way over to the table and glared at the two boys. 

“Excuse me, I’d appreciate it if you didn’t disturb one of my best customers. If you’re not going to buy anything, please leave.”

“Ahh,” Kun began, “they’re really not bothering me.” He turned to Jaemin. “They’ll  _ behave _ now, right?”

“Well…” Jaemin trailed off, and then saw the expression on Ten’s face that screamed ‘if looks could kill.’ “Yes! Yes, I was just kidding! Geez…”

Ten turned to Renjun. “Are we clear?”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Don’t call me Sir.”

“Yes, Ma’am.”

“YAH!”

The two boys cackled and then stood up to leave. 

“Bye Kun-ge!” Renjun said on their way out. 

“Remember your promise!” said Jaemin, blowing a kiss behind his shoulder. 

Ten swatted the air as if to block the kiss, and found Kun was staring up at him, a bemused smile on his lips. He felt himself blushing, and immediately bent over to wipe the spilled coffee, trying to hide his burning cheeks. This was not how he had planned this conversation going. “I am so sorry for the inconvenience.”

“Umm…no it’s okay” Kun began, “sorry about the mess, I am so clumsy.”

“No no, you don’t need to apologize. I’ll bring you another coffee, on the house.”

“That’s not really necessary-”

“Please allow me.”

Kun’s cheeks flushed, “Okay then. If you insist.”

“I do.”

“Thank you... Ten.”

Ten lost hold on the dirty rag, which fell on the floor with a splat, his back going ramrod straight, eyes wide. “You know my name.”

“Yeah.” Kun put on his glasses, took them off again, put them on again, all while squirming -yes, squirming like the adult he was- in his seat, “I asked Johnny the other day. It’s just, I’ve been meaning to...uh...talk to you but you’re always so busy.” 

“I- you- whe- huh?”

Ten was going to murder Johnny.

“I’ve made you uncomfortable, I’m so sorry!” Kun stood up. 

“No!” Ten squeaked, pushing the man down on his seat, “Stay there. I’ll be right back!”

Ten rushed back toward the bar counter, where Donghyuck waited for him with his lemon drizzle cake now adorned with a side of vanilla ice cream, a fresh americano and a smirk. Ten glared at him. 

He was going to murder Johnny,  _ and then _ Donghyuck too, but just a little.


	2. Chocolate Milkshake Just a Little

"No, you have to use the exponential," Kun’s voice was losing it’s usual calmness as he tried to explain to Jaemin for the third time.. He was sure at this point that the smiling demon was just messing with him now. “Seriously, Jaemin, have you been going to class at all?”

“No, he skips half the time but still gets decent grades. It’s not fair,” Renjun whined.

“Hey! I’ve been going to class recently, thank you very much.”

“Yeah and it’s weird. Why _have_ you been going to more classes recently, Nana? You slept in through most of first and second year, what changed?” Donghyuck piped in, having walked over to check on their service.

“Nothing,” Jaemin said a little too quickly. “I just find some of the fourth year electives more interesting. Don’t you have a job to do, Hyuck? Go away.”

Donghyuck smirked, collecting their empty mugs and dishes then going back to where he came from. Someone knocked on the window from the outside, catching their attention. There was yet another student waving enthusiastically at them. 

“Yangyang!” Kun exclaimed brightly, before motioning for the young man to come inside.

The shop bell rang and Yangyang came over to their table, waving shyly at the others seated around the table before plopping down beside Kun and practically squishing him in a bear hug. 

“Kun-ge, I’m so happy to see you.”

Kun laughed and patted his back. “Hmm, I suspect you want something from me. How have you been? Your hair is purple now.”

“I just wasn’t feeling the brown anymore. I needed brightness! Structural Dynamics is sucking my soul,” Yangyang grimaced. “I can’t believe you abandoned your TA post for your research program just when I needed you!”

“I had to start focusing on my doctorate sometime, boy. But if it helps, I occasionally cross paths with your professor and she has praised you a lot, so I don’t think you’re doing too bad, Yangyang. You’re practically set for Valedictorian, so keep it up! I’ve been helping these guys in my free time, would you like to join us? We're focusing more on engineering physics but I'm sure it'll come in handy for you.”

“Really?! Yes! That would be awesome, gege.” Yangyang gave Kun an even tighter hug before noticing the time. “But maybe another time, I’m going to be late again for my last class. I gotta run!” Yangyang said before bouncing up out of the seat.

“Meet me here on Friday after 6:30, okay?”

“Okay!” and then he ran out the door, stopping outside the window briefly to form a heart above his head before sprinting down the block.

Kun just chuckled at his antics. Yangyang had always been a bundle of energy, even back in high school. He then turned back to the two boys still sitting with him. Renjun had face planted in his textbook, his fingers curling and his whole body shaking with mirth at the exchange that just happened. Jaemin however, was still staring out the window, jaw hanging open as he strained his neck to watch the purple haired boy as long as possible before he disappeared from sight.

“Jaemin, the formula you’re using is wrong.” Kun tried to get his attention. He snapped his fingers in front of his face. “Jaemin!” He finally turned back to Kun. “Hey, welcome back."

“You know Liu Yangyang from architecture?!” Jaemin cut him off, very enthusiastic.

“Yeah? It's been...hmm…six years now? I’ve tutored him since high school. Why?”

“No reason. None at all.”

“Oh! He should have some classes with you this semester! What was it? Acoustics--?” Kun was interrupted by Renjun’s loud cackle, who was now grinning ear to ear. 

“Oh. My. God. He’s the reason you’ve been going to class more often, isn’t he?”

"Shut up Renjun!"

And for the first time in history since Kun had known Jaemin, he blushed.

“Aww Jaemin that's so cute! I would warn you he’s a little crazy but you are too, so you might be a match. I’ll cheer on you!”

_____

“This place is so busy, how do you manage to get the same spot every time?” Yangyang asked Kun days later, “And this cheesecake, ugh, I could die for it.”

“It’s easy when you know the right people,” Kun said as he looked over to the bar. Ten was looking back at them, and when their eyes met, Ten winked and blew him a kiss, causing Kun to giggle quietly.

Yangyang, not used to seeing his old tutor and friend act like this, looked over his shoulder to find the cause of Kun’s blush. He turned back around, lips curling mischievously. “Do you know him?” he whispered, and Kun just nodded. “Oooooh! Have you talked to him?”

“Sure have. He’s my boyfriend.”

“Oh my god, snagging the coffee shop owner! I knew you were smart but this is brilliant. And here I was feeling lucky because I bumped into Donghyuck on my way here and he said I could get a free drink today.”

“Good luck with that,” someone said from behind them, “I have yet to receive my freebie from Hyuck.”

Kun looked up, confused. "Jaemin. I thought I told you 7:30." He checked his watch. "It's not even 7. Where’s Renjun?"

"Why should I know, I’m not his keeper or anything." Jaemin shrugged and sat down on the couch beside Kun, visibly irritated, dropping his bag under the table. "Don't mind me, pretend I'm not even here."

Kun raised an eyebrow at him then sighed. "Fine. But you better stay quiet while I'm helping Yangyang."

Jaemin made a motion as if he was zipping his lips shut, immediately getting up to order directly at the counter.

"Sorry for the interruption, Yangyang.”

“I don’t mind. Did you know he’s in one of my classes? He’s always late but he’s quite smart. And... he’s got this, I don’t know, he’s--”

“Eccentric?” Kun offered with a smirk.

“I was going to say handsome.”

Kun snorted, looking to the side and seeing Jaemin talking hurriedly with Donghyuck by the cash register before continuing, "He’s a bit of a little shit sometimes but has a good heart. I think he’s from mechanical engineering?" 

Yangyang hummed, “I thought he was in audio, like Donghyuck.”

“Are you interested?” Kun cooed while reaching across the table to pinch Yangyang's cheeks.

Of course, that was the moment that Jaemin came back to the table. Having overheard just the last part, his heart dropped -interested in Donghyuck? - but he remained adamant as to not let it show on his face. He plopped back into the sofa wordlessly, pulling out his books.

Donghyuck was hot on his heels, tray in hand, and evaluated the scene before him. Kun leaning over the table playfully pinching Yangyang’s cheeks, the boy in question was flailing his arms around trying to get free, and Jaemin...Jaemin was looking as if neither one of them existed, suddenly very interested in his notes. It was almost comical in his eyes. 

"Let's see, we have a gut-piercing quadruple espresso for the sulky boy," he said as he placed the cup in front of Jaemin.

Jaemin prickled. "Hey!"

"A _free_ caramel mocha for the cutie," Donghyuck continued with a wink at Yangyang, who beamed at him. "And another green tea for the boss-in-law," he set the teapot down as Kun sat back in his seat.

"Hey, I'm not-!" Kun objected at first, and then thought about it. "Uh..."

Donghyuck gave a knowing smile. "By the way Professor, I heard from Ten hyung about the office incident-- ”

"Donghyuck, no!" Kun exclaimed as he slapped his hand over the waiter’s mouth. He then shrieked and wiped his hand on his pant leg. "Ew! Did you just lick me?!"

"It worked didn't it?” Donghyuck shrugged, "So as I was saying, if you want to have fun with Ten hyung, use the storage room, it has a lock that actually works.” 

“Why are you telling me this, I --”

“I understand the longing for physical affection all too well, Professor." Donghyuck put a hand over his chest, smiling placidly, "Hearing about your situation has reminded me of the time I forgot to lock the door when my boyfrie--"

"We don’t need your gross details, Hyuck. If you give Professor Qian a heart attack with your unwanted advice before my tutoring starts, I will kill you in your sleep tonight." Jaemin interrupted a little more harshly than intended, the wink between Donghyuck and Yangyang still fresh in his mind. 

"T-thank you, Jaemin," Kun managed to stammer, Jaemin nodding solemnly at him. 

“It was friendly advice,” Donghyuck shrugged before leaving to serve another table.

Yangyang kept happily cackling at the exchange, his laughter far from melodious but alas, it was still music to Jaemin’s ears. But then his brain kept replaying the bright smile Yangyang had given his friend.

 _Of course. His crush is Donghyuck. He's bright and charming, and that stupid black apron looks good on him. No wonder Yangyang has fallen for him. How dare he be so crass! And I paid for that mocha, it was not_ free _! I wish it was me working here instead..._

It was as if a lightbulb had turned on inside his head. 

First he would have to convince the owners to hire him. Ten would be difficult. Johnny on the other hand... 

Maybe a little blackmail was in order.

Later that night, as Ten was distractedly making heart eyes at Kun, Jaemin slipped from his table -tutoring session over- and walked up to the bar counter, where Johnny was bent over a tiny mug, carefully pouring milk for a latte.

_____

  
  


“I love coffee.”

“Good for you,” Johnny replied, without looking up from his current order.

“No, I mean, I want to work here. Hire me.” Jaemin stated.

“Go away.”

“You know, the other day I saw something really funny. There was a man kicking the community trash container, it was such an interesting scene I even took a video. Imagine my surprise when weeks later I found out it was you. You must have been very upset back then, those dents you made aren’t coming off easily you know? City council will fine you.”

Johnny tensed. He remembered. Like, yeah he probably shouldn't have done that, but that day Ten had just banished him from his store and the little bastard truly didn’t let him in again until after sunset the third day. 

Johnny looked up from his ruined latte art, a poor distorted heart, and glared murder at the boy. “Do you want to die?”

“Oh! Death threats!”

“Why you little—”

“I can stay quiet though.”

Johnny’s eyes narrowed. “…How?”

“Like I said, hire me.”

The barista very briefly considered it. It would drive Ten nuts, but then his own sanity would be at stake as well. “Nah. You’re crazy.”

Jaemin was silent for a moment and then, “Oh my god! Someone call the police! This person just threatened m—” and then he was cut off by Johnny reaching across the bar and shoving his hand over Jaemin’s mouth.

“Alright fine! You’re hired. Ew! Did you just lick me?!” Johnny shouted as he pulled his hand back.

“Huh, it really does work. Oh! Also,” Jaemin looked around just in time to see Renjun coming downstairs from the restroom, dragging him back to the bar with him. “Him too,” he said, and pointed to Renjun. “He was with me that night, plus I think his good looks will bring in a lot of customers.”

Renjun just stood there, incredulous, while Johnny was fuming.

“Two?! Two foul, blackmailing—”

Jaemin pulled out his phone, and Johnny bit the inside of his cheek, still glaring at Jaemin. He then gave the other boy a look over. He had to admit, the guy was pretty good looking, in a cute soft way, his shorter stature making him look like a tiny cute fairy. People liked cute, right?

“Name your price, kid.”

“I want double his pay,” Renjun pointed at Jaemin, and Johnny reconsidered his opinion on the boy. A tiny cute _vicious_ fairy.

“Renjun how dare you! I got you this interview—”

“Done.” Johnny agreed.

“What?!” Jaemin just stared at Johnny, dumbfounded, while Johnny smirked back at him. He probably had just agreed to the most idiotic condition, but at least he got something over the manipulative brat. And the heart attack Ten was sure to get tomorrow when these demons showed up in their uniforms would probably be worth it. 

“Come to the office, I’ll get you your uniforms. You can start tomorrow.” They walked into the adjacent room, now cramped with cardboard boxes full of candies -courtesy of Byun Baekhyun’s bi-monthly sponsorship- and Johnny dug into one of his cupboards to collect a pair of black aprons, shoving them into the awaiting hands of his new underlings.

____

  
  


"I can not _believe_ you're getting paid more than me, Renjun. Is there no loyalty anymore?! Your looks aren't your best friend, I am! One day you'll be as ugly as the rest of us you know?"

"I doubt that. Besides, you were the one who used my looks first. I never thought you would go this far just to impress that Yangyang boy.”

“You don’t know that!”

“You were practically drooling that day he said hi to Kun-ge.”

“I did no such thing!”

“By the way, what happened with Hyuck? Did he eat from your side of the fridge again? You've been glaring at him since I arrived.”

“No. He…” 

“He?”

“He flirted with Yangyang.”

“You’re so stupid. He's taken, Jaemin! Haven’t you seen him making heart eyes at his phone?”

“He could be faking it for all we know, watching puppies on youtube or something!”

“I doubt he lied to us about his boyfriend, unless he suddenly developed a vivid imagination.” Renjun shivered, “Those were quite specific fantasies, too.”

“Whatever, Donghyuck is as good as a loose tiger.”

Renjun cackled, then flashed a cheeky smile to Jaemin, “And you want to devour the little sheep yourself, right?” 

Jaemin whacked him with the apron in hand, his ears turning red.

____

It had begun raining just after 5pm, a soft steady drizzle misting the windows of the café, and Yangyang swallowed a squeak as he hurried towards the corner table where Kun was already waiting for him. 

“You didn’t tell me he started working here!” He whispered across the table, a little flustered pulling his hoodie off then putting it back because his hair was all flat with water, messy and plastered to his face and terrible, just terrible.

“Because I wanted to see your reaction when you found out. It was very cute, by the way.” Kun gave him a grin.

“I would have, I don’t know, worn a cuter outfit or _something_!”

“Oh please, you probably saw him in class earlier.”

“But I was not looking like a wet cat then!” 

“You have about five seconds to prepare yourself because he’s coming over.”

“Welcome to Americano Sprinkles, how’s this rainy evening treating you, distinguished gentlemen?” Jaemin asked as he came up to their table, looking dashing in his black full apron.

Yangyang giggled nervously, wiping his wet hair off his face, droplets falling everywhere. Kun was just dumbfounded. He had never heard Jaemin speak like that. Ever.

“Professor Qian, do I have something on my face? ” Jaemin said while waving his hand in front of his face, and he snapped out of it.

“Sorry. It was just weird hearing you so formal, I guess that’s why it’s raining.”

“What? I can’t be nice to my esteemed tutor and my charming classmate once in a while?”

Yangyang’s cheeks flushed. “You think I’m charming?”

Kun’s eyes narrowed. “Yeah, okay there Casanova. Yangyang, do you know what you want to order?”

“Ah! Umm…no, not really. What do you recommend?” Yangyang looked up at Jaemin.

Jaemin leaned down a little closer to them and pointed at something on the tiny menu in front of him. “The chocolate milkshake is our special today, does that sound good to you? It’s perfect for lifting the mood on gray days like this.” He turned his head to look at Yangyang, their faces now rather close, and all Yangyang could do was nod while his cheeks burst into flames. Jaemin smiled and straightened up before turning back to Kun. “How about you, my dear professor? What would you like today?”

“For you to tone down the charm with me a bit, it makes me want to cringe,” Kun laughed. “As for my actual order, just give me whatever Tenie wants today, I trust his judgment.”

“Okay, I’ll bring those right out for you two!” He gave the two a quick smile before heading behind the bar.

Yangyang fanned his face. “Is he always that charming?”

“I mean, yes, but he’s being extra today. And I think I know why.”

“Oh?”

“If you finish your work sheets, I might tell you!”

“That’s, like, super not fair, Kun-ge.”

“Chop chop, Yangyang! And remember to use the formulas I gave you.”

____ 

“Huh? Where did Professor Qian go?,” Jaemin appeared behind Yangyang, the chocolate milkshake and a cappuccino in hand. 

“Ah, he forgot something at the university. He might take a while because of the rain, but he’s definitely coming back to pay, don’t worry.”

“It’s fine, he’s got like, a permanent tab open at the shop. Ten hyung always picks it up for him. But now I wonder what am I gonna do with his coffee.” Jaemin frowned, setting down the drinks.

“Oh, you can leave it here, it’s fine! If you have to hurry back to the counter...”

“Nah. My shift is almost over and the shop is not that busy.”

“It must be the rain. You know, I was really surprised to see you working here today, Jaemin. You sat behind me in class today, right?” Yangyang gave him a dazzling smile, and the next words were out of Jaemin’s mouth before he even thought about it.

“I like you.”

Yangyang blinked. “What?”

Jaemin’s brain caught up with his tongue. _Wow, way to drop that out of nowhere_. But now that it was out, he better explain himself. “I... like you. I’ve liked you since classes started. You’re the best part of this semester, to be honest. And, well, I know you have a crush on Donghyuck, but I was hoping that you would give me a chance to show you that I can be equally as charming and funny and—”

“I like Donghyuck? Where on earth did you get that idea?” He interrupted.

“The other day, I heard Professor Qian say you had a crush on someone.”

“Yeah, you.”

It was his turn to be stunned. “What?”

Yangyang laughed, all his teeth showing and then reached for Jaemin’s hand. “We were talking about you.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah, ‘oh.’”

“Whoops.”

“That’s what you get for eavesdropping,” Yangyang chuckled.

“Hey! I’ll have you know I did no such thing. I just happened to come back at the wrong moment,” he muttered. He glanced at his watch. “Oh look at that, my shift’s over.”

“Well, it doesn’t look like the rain is letting down anytime soon. Wanna stay and chat for a bit?” Yangyang smiled, and Jaemin happily obliged, plopping himself right next to Yangyang and taking a sip from Kun’s orphaned cappuccino.


	3. Oreo Marshmallow with the Sprinkles

"Excuse me, hi, I’m looking for a guy around my height? Light brown hair, moles on his cheek."

Ten blinked twice then stared at the unknown man for a few seconds, trying to find his voice. He had just come out of the office deep in thought and this stranger had rounded on him just outside his door, startling him. Dark red hair, the shaved sides of an undercut plus the ripped jeans and blazer combo he wore made him look like a professional basement rockstar.

"Uh, that sounds like Donghyuck." Huh. Why would this person be looking for Donghyuck? Unless...

Rockstar beamed, smiling wide, "Oh yes! Him! I don't see--"

“He’s not here.”

Rockstar man blinked, smile faltering, his whole face now the representation of disappointed hopes. “Ah, I understand. Excuse me.”

Ten had seen that same face on Johnny when he was told he was not getting a syphon coffee brewer: heartbreak. Ten threw a quick glance at the window seat where his boyfriend usually sat, and seeing Kun already there, smiled and clapped his hands. He remembered it was Donghyuck who had first told him about Kun, so he figured he could return the favor.

"But he’ll be!" He blurted, making the stranger jump a bit in surprise. "Please follow me." He smiled over his shoulder then walked towards the window. “Kun, is Donghyuck back yet?”

Kun glanced up from his books with a raised eyebrow, "Definitely not. You sent him with Renjun to deliver a 20 person order to the offices next block. It's close by but no one is that fast."

Ten cleared his throat, looking back at the red haired stranger with a wry smile. “Funny how people dare to order big when shops are so near closing, haha, that’s business for you. Anyway, don’t listen to him, Donghyuck won’t take long I’m sure. Meanwhile, Kun here won’t mind keeping you company, right love?” Ten chimed, lovingly pinching his boyfriend’s cheek who swatted him away with an embarrassed scowl.

“Sure.” 

“I would stay but,” Ten gestured towards the office, “ _ someone _ gets cranky talking to our pastry supplier. I should be in that phone call or risk losing our famous cheesecake.” He rolled his eyes dramatically.

Kun chuckled, his pretty eyes crinkling into crescent moons, before shooing him away. “Go, go, we’ll be fine~”

Ten planted a quick peck on his boyfriend’s lips, earning another soft chuckle from the man, before sauntering back to work. 

Kun watched him go with a soft smile at his lips, seconds later focusing on the newcomer, who had watched the entire exchange with wide eyes and slightly blushing cheeks.

“Your boyfriend is so nice,” the stranger said, and Kun nodded.

“That he is. You're a friend of Donghyuck?”

“You could say that. Um,” he fidgeted in his seat, suddenly perking up as he patted on his pockets, producing a slightly wrinkled business card. “Sorry, it’s the only one I have on me. I’m Moon Taeil, nice to meet you Kun…uh...” Taeil chanced a look at the books and folders strewn around the table, noticing a full name in several of them, “Qian Kun.”

“Haha, no need to be so formal, just Kun is fine. So,” Kun eyed the card, turning it over in his hands, “you're a producer, huh?  _ Purple Sound  _ , that's a pretty name for a studio.”

____

“Oho! Who do we have here, Professor?” said a cheery, slightly out of breath voice from behind them a couple of minutes later. 

Kun stood up from his place and rounded the table to stand right next to the newly arrived Donghyuck, who was combing wind-ruffled hair with his fingers, wearing a black apron that definitely had the coffee shop's logo embroidered on its lapel. Neither men missed the confused look on Taeil’s face. 

“Ah, Donghyuck. Did you ditch Renjun to run here?" Kun grinned, and Taeil swore there was teasing in the man’s tone. He got a half-hearted shrug in reply. "Well it's good that you rushed, this person has been waiting for you.” 

Gulping, Taeil finally stood up and turned to face the one he had indeed been waiting for. 

_ For 3 months and 5 days  _ . 

Taeil blinked, wow his brain was so cheesy. Straightening his back, he extended a hand towards Donghyuck, concentrating hard on not stuttering.

“H-Hi! I'm Taeil.”

Dammit.

“...I know??” Donghyuck replied with a raised eyebrow as he eyed the offered hand, a wide grin slowly appearing on his handsome face as he shook it. 

_ ‘This smile, I’ve missed--ow, he’s squeezing too hard!’  _ Taeil let out a nervous chuckle, having to use a little more force to free his hand from Donghyuck’s grip. ‘  _ Like a boa constrictor.’  _

“I... didn't know you worked here.”

“Picked up the interest some months ago,” Donghyuck replied, crossing his arms, his eyes sparkling, “my boyfriend left me and I ended up with a lot of free time on my hands.”

Taeil pursed his lips. 

“Uhh, Hyuck? There’s people waiting at the register.” Kun said, pointing behind them, and Donghyuck let a little surprised squeak before running towards the counter.

“Whoops! Coming!” 

When Donghyuck sent him the café address that evening before Taeil's flight, he had thought it was to meet for a date, not to find him at work. Had he known Donghyuck would end up like this he would never have left for that stupid workshop in Singapore. If he had stayed, perhaps Donghyuck wouldn’t have missed the deadline for his internship and wouldn’t have had to resort to waiting on tables in this small shop.

Those weren’t Donghyuck’s plans after all. He had told him, over and over again since their first meeting, that once the necessary papers from his university were done, he would apply to be their intern at his studio. Taeil had been overjoyed, the prospect of spending time together just as amazing as having Donghyuck’s perfect narrator voice for the project Taeil and his partner had been working on. Taeyong had known this, they had talked about it plenty, but when the time came had chosen that other boy for the spot! Not like Taeil had anything against Mark, to be honest, he had a good hand at mixing but his voice cracked too often during voice over recordings.

Well, whatever.

He had brought everything needed to right the situation.

____

There were no free tables in the shop, clusters of students hunched over their laptops and books, even the stools were occupied by lone customers. Taeil stayed at Kun’s window table, an untouched americano in front of him, silently watching Donghyuck man the espresso machine like an expert, while a guy he figured was Renjun stood at the cash register ringing orders. 

Taeil clutched at the folder he was carrying, not wanting to discuss its contents over the purring of steaming milk and clattering ceramic mugs. Talking about curriculums and making internship offers right in front of Donghyuck's co-workers seemed highly… uh...unethical. Besides, Renjun and Kun’s pointed stares had begun to get on his nerves.

To his relief, the little sitting area upstairs -near the restrooms- opened up a few minutes later, just in time for Donghyuck’s break. A lone loveseat that had seen better days and a sad faded armchair made for an interesting composition. Taeil took the latter for himself, not missing Donghyuck’s pout as he got the bigger loveseat.

Taeil jerked, moving his legs away from Donghyuck’s wandering foot, looking behind his seat to ensure there was no one with them, then whispered “Hyuck, stop that!"

"But you’re sitting so far.”

“Because we need to talk--”

“Hyung, how can you be much more handsome than I remember?"

Taeil rolled his eyes; still trying to distract him huh, good to know Donghyuck hadn’t changed one bit, “You aren’t wearing your glasses, you’re seeing wrong.”

“I got lasik after you left, I can see perfectly how beautiful you are, in ultra high definition reality, not my phone screen.” 

One would think that after dating for nearly seven months, he wouldn't be fazed by such casual compliments but honestly, Taeil never got used to them -he had been away for half their dating time after all- and with the way Donghyuck said them, well, he didn’t think he’ll  _ ever  _ . 

Taeil sighed, succumbing to the blush rising up his neck. Right now his mind was reeling with all the possible things they could be doing instead of wasting time sitting here in this café during Donghyuck's break.

No, no. 

This was Donghyuck’s workplace now and he seemed to enjoy his job, judging from the five minutes Taeil had seen him serve drinks at the counter downstairs. Taeil came back from his thoughts when he realized Donghyuck was still trying to play footsie with him. He grabbed at his ankle to still him in place, then cleared his throat.

“Anyways, Hyuckie,” Donghyuck’s smile brightened and Taeil forced himself not to look away. Work, Taeil reminded himself, he had come here for, uh, work.

‘ _ Focus, man!’ _

He opened his folder with his free hand and scanned its contents before continuing.

“You know, the studio opened its internship some months ago and maybe you were too busy with your exams or something and missed the deadline, but it’s okay, we can work something out. I’m sorry I forgot to remind you.”

Donghyuck became a little tense, “Why? Mark is doing a great job, I was told.”

This caught Taeil by surprise. Mark Lee was indeed doing a great job at their office. “Wait, you know him?”

Donghyuck’s smile was now wistful before answering, “Yes, I recommended him.”

“You did? But the deadline-”

“I couldn’t let Taeyong hyung down so I told one of my friends. He’s graduating this semester so he was really in need for a job.”

“But then you- that means you really didn’t apply for the opening?”

“Hyung, I’m sorry, I was going to tell you.”

“What are you doing in the middle of your shift?”

A voice came from behind Taeil, startling them and making Taeil drop both Donghyuck’s ankle and his folder's contents on the floor. Why, that voice was familiar.

Donghyuck stood up fast and slightly bowed at the person behind them, “Ah, Johnny hyung, I’m on my break-” 

“Lies, you took your break an hour ago. Go back to the counter, you are closing the register.”

Donghyuck straightened his posture and a confused look crossed his face. Then he stared past his boss and noticed Renjun grimacing nervously at him from around the stairs, pointing at his own naked wrist in the universal sign of ‘Time, bitch!’ 

“Ooops I guess I was distracted.”

“Hello, Taeil hyung, it’s been a while. What brings you here?” Johnny ignored Donghyuck, focusing on Taeil instead, his voice growing sterner with each word.

“J-Johnny, what a surprise. I came for a...cup of coffee, I’ve heard it’s super good.” 

“You came for my coffee, yet you’re also distracting my employee?” His cat-like stare had Taeil pinned down. He had forgotten how scary Johnny looked, with his amber eyes and towering height. Who the hell needed all those muscles for making coffee?!

“No, I was...well yes, but it wasn’t on purpose.”

Johnny bent over to pick one of the papers that had fallen to the floor, and he crumpled it when he saw it was Lee Donghyuck’s curriculum. 

“What’s this? Donghyuck, you are leaving me? After all the effort we made?”

“Ah, no no, hyung. I’m not-- “

“I gave you my time and trained you personally, I can’t believe-!!”

Taeil was panicking as he watched the barista scold his employee for something he had not done...He felt so wicked. This was his fault, all because he had been too stubborn. What was he doing here, creating all this chaos for nothing? There wasn’t even an opening at his studio anymore, he couldn’t have possibly fired Mark for this. His so-called mission had been a failure from the start. 

He had just wanted to see Donghyuck again.

Taeil stood up and walked over to the owner of the café, gently placing a hand over his arm, “Johnny it’s not like that, I-”

The tall man spun around so fast he nearly hit Taeil and if it hadn’t been for Donghyuck’s reflexes, he might have had an elbow directly to his face. Johnny looked worried for a split second, before realizing Taeil was unharmed and he allowed his ire to return in full.

“You thief!” he whisper shrieked, flailing the wrinkled piece of paper at Taeil’s face making him blink uncomfortably, then taking notice of Donghyuck holding him close and changing target, “And you! You traitor!” 

Taeil felt Donghyuck’s arms tense around him and he snapped, “Shut up Johnny, I was rejected!!”

“You were?!”

Seconds of awkward silence were broken by hurried steps coming upstairs.

“Oh my god, what’s happening? I heard you...scream…” Ten halted at the scene. Johnny was dumbly staring at Taeil, who looked ready to murder and was still half held in Donghyuck’s embrace, who in turn was smiling the most tense smile he had ever seen, and then there was Renjun looking like he didn’t really want to be there at all.

“O...k….who wants to explain first?” Ten ventured.

“He tried to steal from us,” Johnny pointed a finger at the red haired man.

“You’re being dramatic,” Taeil retorted.

Johnny gasped offended, taking a step towards him, “Dramatic!!”

Donghyuck chose that moment to spin them around, effectively getting in between his boss and Taeil. 

“Ten hyung, could you take him downstairs with you? I need to speak with Johnny hyung.” He pushed Taeil gently towards Ten, who held his arm and dragged him downstairs in silence. With Taeil gone, Donghyuck finally faced Johnny, and smirked.

“You are always complaining I'm too noisy, so I didn't know I was so special to you, I'm flattered.” He said while playfully poking the older man’s arm.

Johnny’s face was dusted red. “I-it's not like that...you're a good employee and uh your memory is good and...why did you reject him? He’s a producer, you’re interested in sound engineering, why are you making coffee instead?” 

The waiter stopped poking him and stared up at him before a goofy grin appeared on his face.

“Well I like it here! It's fun-urk!”

Renjun, who had apparently not left with Ten and Taeil, chose that moment to pull Donghyuck away into a corner, whispering hurriedly, “The man you tricked into dating you is a producer?! You made him sound like a nerd!”

“I don’t trick, Junie, I convince. We did meet at a gaming convention, so I guess we’re both nerds?” 

“Ew, does that mean you did all those things with him in a public restroom?!”

“Cleaning closet, Renjun, get your facts right. You never listen to me!”

“Oh no, I do listen to you! You are always reminding me how you--” 

“Shhhh,” Donghyuck shoved his hand over his coworker’s mouth, then thought it better and trapped him in a headlock instead, looked back at a confused Johnny, who appeared to have not heard them, “Haha aaaanyway! I think we should go down and uh check on our customers?” His tone was sweet and cute but there was a definite urgency to it as he dragged his friend to the stairs.

Before they reached the top step, they heard their boss ask again, “Tell me, for real, why you rejected his offer.”

Lee Donghyuck turned to face him with the brightest smile plastered on his face.

“I told you,  _ for real  _ , I like it here! But, okay, if you insist then I’ll tell you a secret. I’m not into seducing my bosses. Hehe!” He threw him a finger heart and a wink, before disappearing with a growling Renjun downstairs. 

Johnny’s jaw was on the floor. "Uh...thank the fuck?"

_____

  
  


“Your stuff.”

"Thank you, you shouldn't have troubled yourself." The folder Taeil had dropped upstairs was now neatly placed in front of him, as well as a hot beverage topped with whipped cream and colorful sprinkles, an oreo marshmallow mini brownie next to it. He was trying not to make eye contact with the man behind the desk, but the guilt was eating him alive. If only he hadn’t brought these papers with him then he wouldn’t be in this situation… Bravely reaching for the coffee, Taeil took a sip and almost whined. It was so good! Sweet and warm! He felt horrible now--...well, even more horrible!

“I’m so sorry Johnny. I totally didn’t know this was your store.”

“So you would still have tried to steal him if he wasn’t my employee?”

Taeil took a long gulp of coffee, avoiding the question by picking at the sprinkles. Johnny just stared at him, “He’s important to us, we need him here.”

“I saw.”

Johnny stared at him a little longer before smiling wryly, “Well, I guess it was a good thing I interrupted. Donghyuck was getting handsy with you, I apologize for that. He’s a little feral sometimes, but I suspect it’s his way of dealing with things. He had a bad break-up before we hired him or something.” Taeil nearly choked on the mini brownie he was munching, and Johnny reached over his desk to pat his back carefully. “You okay?”

Taeil stood up, palms out, mouth still full of marshmallow oreo, “All good, all good. I should go though. Thanks for the snacks, super yummy. Did you make them?” 

“Bought the brownies. You know I don’t--uh ovens aren’t my thing.”

“Yeah,” Taeil snorted, halfway out the back door, “Johnny, I know you're probably a little mad but, can I visit again? Your shop is nice.”

“Not anytime soon, I’m still mad you dared attempt to take my fledgling barista from me.”

“What if I order take out?”

“Hyung, go home before I ban you forever.”

“So prickly!” Taeil stuck his tongue out and saw Johnny glare before closing the door on his face. 

Taeil was just about to exit the back alley into the street when he felt a familiar scent enveloping him and a pair of hands cradled his jaw from the shadows, slowly dragging him towards a crevice between the office window and the sidewall of the café.

“Welcome back, Ilie hyung,” Donghyuck whispered, his plush lips pressed urgently against his, a soft moan escaping him and almost rendering his knees weak before he recalled his near death experience at Johnny’s hands. Thank god the blinds of those windows were down!

“Don’t you welcome back hyung me, you rejected our offer!” Taeil whispered angrily, trying to push Donghyuck’s face away, and the young man let go of his cheeks only to tuck Taeil’s hands in his, kissing his knuckles, trapping Taeil between himself and the brick wall. 

“Hyung, don’t be mad~”

“But you kept saying you wanted to work with me, and then you didn’t!” Taeil whined, making Donghyuck smirk.

“I very much doubt Taeyong hyung would have been pleased to find the junior assistant bending his boss over the sound console every other day-”

“That only happened o-once! But it wouldn’t have happened again, that equipment is expensive, I wouldn’t have let you.”

Donghyuck pouted cutely, his gesture contrasting with the way he was pushing his thigh between Taeil’s, “Are you sure you wouldn’t have wanted to? You’re breaking my heart, hyung. And what was that handshake ruse about, acting like a stranger? Did you think I would forget about you after the few months you were away?”

Taeil squinted at him, pursing his lips, “It felt like. You hardly replied to my texts, I thought you were busy studying but you were making coffee instead!”

“Hey, I was asked for a favor! And it turns out I make really good coffee, you tried it.”

That sugary cup at Johnny’s office had been made by Donghyuck. Tasty indeed. 

“But what of your soundtrack project? The audio narrations! I wanted you there. I wanted to spend our time working on our compositions, play games during office lunch, have some fried chicken and...” Taeil felt the sting of sudden tears behind his eyes, awakened by his retelling of all the casual activities they had had to put on hold for the sake of that business trip. He was such a sap. He lowered his gaze, missing how Donghyuck’s eyes softened and misted over too. 

“Aw, hyung no, come here...we can still do that, I’ll visit you after class, before my shifts. And I’ll bring you coffee and pastries and kisses. Many kisses, okay? We’ll play games too and critique their sound mixing together, and next semester when I graduate you can hire me for real.”

“We’ll see about that, you brat.”

Donghyuck giggled into a sweet kiss, but it quickly evolved into a throaty moan, as both men poured months of accumulated longing for each other. Donghyuck’s hands roamed down Taeil’s hips, eliciting little sighs from him, their bodies pressed hard against each other. 

“You taste like marshmallows, hyung.”

Taeil felt the rough edges of the old brick wall digging onto his back, suspecting he was probably going to have to send his jacket to the dry cleaners sooner than he anticipated. He also felt Donghyuck’s fingers playing with the hem of his half untucked shirt, creeping upwards and splaying over the bare skin of his stomach, his touch making him squirm. Taeil gasped, tried to move away, knowing they were not at the right place to let their lust take control of them.

“Hyuck- Donghyuck, stop, someone might see us- ah, don't bite, you’ll leave marks!”

“Just a little bit more hyung, just...let me- I really missed you so much!”

“Your boss might come out any minut-”

“What the fuck!?”

They both froze, Donghyuck reacting first and quickly pulling Taeil’s shirt down over its original place, turning around with a cheery smile plastered over his pretty, kiss-swollen lips.

"Oh! Hi Johnny hyung! Umm… meet Taeil hyung!"

“Yeah, I know him!”

“Oh!” Donghyuck seemed to remember something, “That’s right! You do! Since when?” He turned around to face a blushing Taeil, choosing to ignore the cute tempting way he was biting at his lower lip, “Hyung, you know Johnny hyung from way before!”

“Y-yeah, from school.” Taeil replied, wiping his mouth and trying to comb his disheveled hair. 

“Music school?”

“A baking course I took once.”

“What?”

“Nevermind that!” Johnny bellowed, his face red with what appeared to be embarrassment, “what in the world are you doing, Taeil! You said you wouldn’t try to take Donghyuck from me, but now you are trying to seduce him?”

“It’s actually the other way around,” Donghyuck pulled Taeil into his arms and away from the approaching claws of his boss, placing a soft kiss over Taeil’s temple. “He's my boyfriend.”

“Your what.”

“Boy~ friend~,” Donghyuck repeated slowly, making his boss scowl.

“The one who left you?!”

“Yes. To go on a business trip. But he’s back now.”

“I thought you meant he broke up with you!”

"I never said that."

“But you’re always flirting with the customers!”

“It’s called service, hyung.”

Johnny appeared to realize what he had said and glanced at Taeil, who was unfazed by the knowledge of his proclaimed boyfriend flirting with others. He shrugged.

“He’s always been a flirt.”

Johnny blinked for several seconds before pointing his finger at Taeil’s face.

“You’re a simp.” 

Taeil slapped it away, offended, “I’m not!”

“How about we go home now!” chirped Donghyuck cutely, wrapping his arms around Taeil from behind, who squirmed yet again, blushing harder.

“Hyuck, not in front of him!” Taeil whispered hurriedly, trying to pry Donghyuck’s arms away from his waist.

“Huh? Why? He knows everything now,” Donghyuck let go one arm to point behind him, “and I think they know too.”

Taeil spun around, just now taking notice of the huge window on the side of the cafe, a grinning Ten plastered to the glass next to his equally smiling boyfriend, and Renjun at the far back, gagging. Kun waved at him, his voice muted through the glass.

“I knew it!” 

Taeil awkwardly waved back. Yeah, of course Kun had figured it out, he looked smart. 

“Welcome to our coffee shop family, Taeil hyung!” Ten yelled with a wink before dragging their audience back from the glass, nagging at them about leaving their finger grease on his perfectly clean windows.


	4. Sweet Tooth, I Know How To Nibble

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> here we are, the last chapter of this silly au that I hope you've enjoyed as much as I did writing it.  
> many thanks to sah and helen, for your cheers and assurances that i am indeed funny sometimes hahaha XD  
> have fun! :)

Johnny observed the scene unfolding before his eyes and snorted, his attention centered on Ten and how often his eyebrow twitched in annoyance as gremlin number 1 -aka Jaemin- kept stealing big bites of the matcha crepe Ten had specifically served Kun, while gremlin number 2 -Yangyang- kept blocking him from cuddling up to the professor. 

Ex-professor. He didn’t know why Donghyuck and Jaemin insisted on still addressing Kun with such a title, it made him sound like he was 50 and that messed up with Johnny’s brain because he knew Kun was around the same age as himself.

Well whatever, a frazzled Ten would never not be funny, especially after the hell months he put Johnny through. Even if the results had been glaringly positive for his business, Johnny was a creature of spite and he had yet to get back at Ten for christening their shared office, the only sacred space he thought he had in this nuthouse. 

One of these days, when he remembered to remember, he was going to buy only-key locks and he’d be the only one to have a copy. Unlockable doors at all times! Unless Kun suddenly developed a knack for exhibitionism, it should work. Yes, he was putting his hopes on Kun because Ten... he knew would risk every shred of decency just to get his hands on his man.

Johnny shook his head, trying to forget the memory of a disheveled Ten on his knees, a stammering blushing Kun almost fainting with embarrassment, pants at his ankles. Johnny figured it had been a good thing Ten blocked his direct line of vision, otherwise he would have gotten acquainted with Kun’s anatomy.

Not that he didn’t know what a dick looked like, he had one but-- yeah. He was not interested in Kun’s. 

Johnny turned back towards his Synesso. It was not the machine he asked for but he appreciated Ten’s efforts in getting him one, even if it was second-hand. In just 5 months the shop had nearly tripled its sales, and they had been able to make some major changes, like this machine, buying better furniture and even a siphon brewer! Johnny still squealed with glee whenever he had enough time to use it.

Hm. 

Maybe Ten could get a key duplicate in the end... 

“Ahem.”

Johnny turned around to find Renjun leaning on the counter, already wearing his apron. “Yes, Renjun?”

“It’s Donghyuck’s turn to empty the recycling bins and he’s in the restroom.”

“I seriously don’t know what made you think I needed to know that.”

“Because I’m fairly certain he snuck his boyfriend in there.”

Johnny groaned, “Oh for fucks sake, not again. Why aren’t you getting him yourself?”

“Because I don’t want Taeil hyung to feel awkward with me. He’s a connection that I plan on exploiting when I graduate next semester.”

Johnny blinked, “You’re a little unnerving sometimes.”

Renjun smiled prettily, “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

____ 

Jaehyun arrived on a Friday evening, a lot less heavy with papers, and a little more suited up. Johnny had been in the middle of pouring beans into the grinder when he caught sight of him, and nearly half the bag ended on the counter. It was just that… Johnny could count with a hand the times he had seen Jaehyun in a tie, hair swept up.

“Hey Johnny,” Jaehyun said, his voice deep yet softened with his usual dimpled smile.

“Jay,” he replied with a nod, surreptitiously swiping his hand over the counter to get rid of his mess, coffee beans falling on the floor. It didn’t matter, Donghyuck could clean that! 

Johnny turned around, rummaged through his cupboard for his special blend beans, washed his hands carefully, picked up his manual grinder, and set to work on getting the perfect ground texture for his special, hand poured coffee. 

Just enough for one cup.

And then there was a throaty deep laughter, one Johnny had never heard before and he turned around in time to witness Donghyuck winking and making finger guns at a dazzling smiling Jaehyun, sitting on a stool by the counter -the counter! not his usual corner!- and his heart did this little funny trick where it fell through his asshole. Donghyuck must have seen something on his face because he immediately turned his finger guns towards the stairs, ready to leave.

"Ah yeah I was just going to check the tables upstairs." 

"The...usual," Johnny leaned back, feeling slow, carefully sliding his black coffee on the counter towards Jaehyun. 

"Oh, Hyuckie was just telling me about this one drink, a chocolate amaretto affogato, it sounded nice, do you have it?"

Cold painful rejection shot up Johnny’s veins, all because Donghyuck had opened his mouth and recommended a-- 

_ Hyuckie? _

His hand poured brew had been-- 

_ Hyuckie?! _

Cocking his head to the side, lips tight on a smile that bordered deranged, Johnny tried not to glare at the back of Donghyuck’s retreating head, who appeared to pick up his pace, suddenly sprinting up the stairs two steps at a time.

“...I’m sorry Jay, I only have some whisky for the irish coffees, but I can get you a normal affogato if you’d like.” Reaching for the cup he had just served to rework it -throw it away, he was actually going to throw it away-, Johnny’s frozen veins bubbled with warmth again when a pale hand closed over his fingers. 

Jaehyun was holding onto the mug, ears so red it looked like he had colored them over with the pink highlighter he usually used on his plans. "It’s fine, I'll have this. I don’t really do sugar."

Johnny blinked one. Twice. Thrice. He nodded, a little smile on his lips as he turned around to clean his tools.

_____

“I think we almost witnessed a murder,” Ten whispered to his boyfriend, sure that Donghyuck’s life had just been spared. 

Kun hummed, flipping pages of a book and underlining some of its contents, "I'm more surprised Jaehyun asked to try something other than black coffee. God knows he has been drinking the same thing since forever." 

Ten tsked. Donghyuck should have known better.

Johnny could look scary to some, his resting bitch face didn't help on his first impressions either, but Ten knew him from way before and he was a soft chill guy, his current grumpiness in direct relation to his business. And now his mood had been slowly lifting the more the café flourished. 

Because Johnny was, in reality, a giant teddy bear, with fangs and claws and muscles, sure, but a teddy nonetheless. He still remembered when Renjun accidentally dented Johnny’s favorite milk frothing pitcher and he couldn't get mad because Renjun burnt his hand on the machine’s wand and Johnny felt so responsible he nearly burst into tears with worry, picking the petit man princess style to rush to the hospital. Renjun had to threaten him with quitting if he didn’t put him down. 

A grumpy, silly, stubborn caring man, Johnny was. 

And if there was anything Ten was sure by now was that Johnny was head over heels for Jaehyun. Pure and simple. It was the sincerity in Johnny’s hearteyes that had made Ten spare him from too much teasing. Even Renjun and Jaemin knew to stay away from Jaehyun’s space unless it was to clean his table or something. 

So yeah, Donghyuck shouldn't have tried to change the order of things. Johnny literally hand made that stupid pour-over drink everytime, for Jaehyun and exclusively Jaehyun, for fucks sake. 

It was like, the most direct indirect confession, ever!

"No but seriously, the amount of tension between them makes my hair go all frizzy, I hate it. Johnny should ask him on a date asap."

"Says you, who never spoke to me until I did," Kun chuckled into his notes, eyeglasses precariously perched at the end of his nose.

"Hey, I asked you out!"

"Mmmno?  _ I _ asked you out."

Grabbing Kun by the chin so their eyes could meet, Ten smiled dangerously sweet, " I gave you free cake and coffee."

"After like, a month of spying on me."

"You're the spy! You went behind my back to ask Johnny my own name because you've known him for so long that--- oh my god. You've been here since before me. Like a relic of times past!"

"A relic?" Kun gasped, offended, "I'm not that old!"

"Pssh you know what I mean baby, now spill everything you know about Jaehyun."

"Uh, can I please finish my assignment first?"

"You should know better than to try and play with space maths while I'm present."

"You just want to gossip." 

"Duh! I've never been able to get anything out of Johnny, whenever I ask he just raises his stupid eyebrow at me and leaves." 

Kun sighed in defeat, and Ten beamed at him.

"I don't know much, honestly. Just that he probably lives or works nearby, and has been coming here for as long as I have, when Johnny’s shop was actually his office and he sold from his window." 

Ten snorted, “I would have killed to witness that."

"Best damn coffee in the whole university district, that hasn't changed thank God."

"But that means it’s been, like, almost a year and a half of knowing each other!”

"Yeah I guess."

“And Johnny’s never tried anything? That’s...that’s so sad.”

“Baby,” Kun put his pen down and took his glasses off to stare at his boyfriend. Ten jerked back at the attention, and Kun smirked. “Do you want to meddle?”

Those words and the mischievous glint on Kun’s eyes made Ten’s heart stutter out like an old car’s exhaustion pipe. “Yes,” he breathed, “yes of cour-hf whaf afe you doinf--!”

“Look.” In a mimic move of what Ten had done to him minutes prior, Kun held his cheeks with a hand and turned his head towards the counter, where Johnny was busy doing his stuff, his back still turned and Jaehyun was… he was staring. At Johnny. 

At Johnny’s ass, to be fair.

“Ohf my gof,” Ten mumbled, cheeks squeezed, “he if checking him ouf.”

Kun nodded sagely, letting go, “Yep. Not the first time he’s done it, but he always looks away before Johnny notices. I'm almost sure he's this-” he nearly touched his index finger and thumb, "close to asking Johnny out."

“Kun, baby, why the fuck didn’t you tell me this earlier?”

“I thought you noticed? He always does it."

“No? Not when I’m around!”

Kun raised an eyebrow, “He’s not that discreet?”

“Well he hides it well when I'm there, believe me I've been  _ looking _ . It makes sense if he's careful, I work with Johnny. But you babe, you’re like, unnoticeable.”

“Gee, thanks, I love you too.” Kun pursed his lips, his dimples appearing and Ten squealed, pinching his cheeks.

“My sexy spy,” he leaned into Kun’s space and kissed him, Kun’s pout turning into a smile, hands coming to cradle his face to deepen it more.

“Eww, get a room.”

Kun sighed, cutting the kiss short and turning to address their human interruption, “Shut up Yangyang, you kiss Jaemin over the cash register all the time.”

“Slander, it was only one time! By the way, have you seen him?” Yangyang dropped his bag on a free chair near their table.

“Isn’t he off today?” asked Ten, trying to remember the whiteboard calendar hanging inside the storage room. He was sure he had written Donghyuck and Renjun for today.

“Yeah but this is our meeting spot.”

The door chimed and in came a man with dark brown hair, sharp eyes and the most beautiful eyebrows Ten had ever seen, aside from Kun’s that is. 

“Oh hey Dejun-ge,” Yangyang called, and the new arrival -Dejun- turned to them, lips quirked up in a quizzical smile. 

"Hey Yangyang, I saw you from outside."

"First time here?" Yangyang asked, and when Dejun nodded he swiped a hand towards Ten then to the counter, "ah this is Kun, my physics tutor, and Ten, he owns this place along with Johnny over there. I recommend the cheesecake and chocolate milkshakes, they are excellent." He finished proudly as if it was him who owned the shop.

Ten didn't hide his pleased smile, free promo was free promo.

"Nice to meet you," Dejun greeted with a nod to the table, then his face lit up as he turned towards the bar, "Is that Jaehyun hyung?"

Yangyang looked back, grinning in recognition, "You're right, it is!"

Ten's mouth hung open, many questions bubbling up his throat because he couldn’t remember Yangyang ever meeting with Jaehyun in the shop, their visits somehow never coinciding in the months the boy had been frequenting their business. Then Dejun called from across the tables, enthusiastically waving with his whole arm.

"Jaehyung hyung!"

And Ten saw both Jaehyun -and Johnny- turn around with wide eyes.

_____

“Jaehyun hyung!”

Johnny stared in horror as a handsome stranger wearing half frame glasses and luscious eyebrows launched himself at Jaehyun, who in turn barely avoided spilling his coffee on himself by the grace of whatever gods above had blessed him with fast reflexes. Gremlin number 2 was hot on his heels.

“Oh, hey guys, uh-” Jaehyun nervously glanced at Johnny, arms full of stranger, “w-what are you doing here?”

Yangyang grinned wide, so many teeth Johnny had the suspicions he was secretly an Eldritch creature because how could a normal human date a mercurial guy like Jaemin? 

“Oh my boyfriend works here! You know, the one I’ve told you about?”

“The- yeah.” Jaehyun gulped, “You come here often then? I've never seen you.”

“Practically live here.”

“Unfortunately,” Johnny deadpanned. Yangyang either ignored him or didn’t hear him.

"I was in the neighborhood and saw Yangyang through the window," said Gorgeous Stranger.

"Unfortunately," Johnny mumbled into a mug he had randomly picked up and pretended to inspect its insides.

“Wait, Jaehyun hyung, are  **you** here often then? How come this is the first time I've seen you?"

_ 'Because the universe had mercy on me until today,' _ Johnny wanted to say, but bit his tongue. He couldn't stop staring at Jaehyun and Mr. Pretty Eyebrows, it was like staring at a car crash scene, gut-wrenching yet fascinating, and his mind was shutting down, blood running colder and slower the longer Jaehyun held that man in his arms. He checked his hand to see if he still held the ceramic mug in it because he was fairly certain he had heard something shattering.

Nope, mug was fine. Then that noise had been his heart, nice. He was suddenly inspired to declutter the storage and organize his coffee bean sacks by alphabetical order. 

Yep. It sounded awesome. Best idea ever.

  
  


In fact, he was going to do that, this very second. He put the mug in the sink and turned around.

"Yeah, I'm a regular here," Jaehyun blinked and blinked, extricating an arm then the other out of the embrace, the conversation still going regardless of Johnny’s whereabouts. 

"Really?!"

"Recommend me something then, Jaehyun hyung."

"Uh, sure Dejun, the- you should try the cheesecake, it's really nice.”

Yangyang clapped excitedly, "Yes I agree!"

"Johnny, could you- huh where did he go?"

_____

  
  


Ten observed the scene unfolding before his eyes and choked on his words, his attention centered on Johnny and how small he was becoming as seconds went by, like a tall proud sunflower suddenly wilting. Gone was the thunderous jealousy he had seen with Donghyuck earlier on, instead replaced by this...this… cheerful energetic despair as Johnny disappeared into the storage.

He felt a nudge on his knee and found Kun nodding at him to go toward the counter, a bemused smile on his face. He practically scrambled out of his seat at the same time Donghyuck was returning to the counter, no doubt surprised by the sudden congregation around Johnny’s man that didn’t include Johnny. 

Ten grabbed Dejun by his shoulders and ushered him towards Kun’s table, away from a visibly relieved Jaehyun.

"Dejun darling why don't you come sit here by the window, keep Kun some company? Uh, Hyuckie, please bring Yangyang’s friend a slice of cheesecake and an americano--"

"Actually I would prefer a latte."

Ten stared as Dejun walked to sit on a nearby table waving at Kun, blinked at  _ the audacity _ , then continued, "--y-yes,  _ a latte _ , please. And Yangyang can you get the broom, it's upstairs by the restrooms, there's beans all over the floor, someone's gonna slip and brain themselves on the counter and we don’t have money for a lawsuit."

"But I don’t work here?"

"Pshh you're Jaemin’s boyfriend and he works for me, so that makes you my employee-in-law, it's like, outsourcing."

Donghyuck chuckled as the steamer screeched into the milk for his order, muting Yangyang’s grumbling as he did what was told, "Ten hyung, I coined that concept, pay me royalties."

Ten stuck out his tongue, "I already pay you enough. Meanwhile you," he fixed his stare on Jaehyun, who sat straighter on his stool, "Jaehyun, right? What do you think about a crash course in coffee? You’ll even get to try the espresso machine."

Jaehyun stared at him in confusion. "I...I've never used one, I don't think it's-" he began excusing himself and Ten glanced at Donghyuck with urgency, who frowned for a second before widening his eyes in understanding. Or at least he hoped it was understanding.

"Yeah hyung! Why don’t you try it? I've seen the way you pay attention when Johnny's making coffee," Ten didn't miss the blush that crept up Jaehyun’s neck all the way to his ears, and he nearly headbanged onto the counter because of course Donghyuck was going to be anything but subtle.

"And--!" Ten intervened before Donghyuck ran off with his mouth, "because you're such a special customer to us. Think of it as service. We know you like coffee a lot." He smiled his most charming smile, throwing the bait.

He waited.

Jaehyun stared into the storage, then bit his lip, "Will…" his voice cracked a little and he cleared his throat, "will I be taught personally?"

Hook, line and sinker.

"Yes!" Donghyuck and Ten exclaimed in unison.

"Okay okay, uh, sounds fun?"

"Excellent! When are you free? I’m sorry it can’t be today, our main barista had to do some urgent inventory," Ten explained lamely, “if not he would have stayed to talk with you, you know, as always.”

"Then, tomorrow?" Jaehyun said hopefully, looking down at his nearly finished coffee, half a smile popping only one of his dimples, “Johnny, he… he’s always very busy, huh?”

"Not tomorrow! He’s free!" Ten squeezed his arm -oh! Muscley!  _ Nice! _ “How about 12 pm, how does that sound?” 

“Yeah, noon is fine.” Jaehyun raised his eyes towards Ten, a shy smile on his face, making Ten feel all giddy and warm inside, “...Thank you. I’m going now, but… can you tell him I’m looking forward to tomorrow?”

Donghyuck and Ten nodded excitedly.

Yangyang returned with the broom and dustpan in hand, staring as Jaehyun exited the store with a wave towards Kun and Dejun, “What’s happening tomorrow?”

“Nothing. Employees only,” Ten took the items from Yangyang’s hands.

“But you just said I was your in-law!”

Ten pursed his lips, ushering Yangyang out of the preparation area. “Go away, kid, I can see your boyfriend arriving.”

Indeed, Jaemin was just walking into the store, along with a slightly out of breath Renjun, who rushed towards the counter.

“What happened? What did I miss, I saw Jaehyun coming into the store when I left, and now he’s leaving? He always stays for at least an hour!”

“There was some trouble in paradise, Junie, you should have been here.” Donghyuck whispered, promptly retelling everything that had transpired while Renjun was out.

“Ugh, I hate delivering orders, I miss everything! Next time you go!”

“But you walk so much faster than me Jun, and you can carry so much with those strong shoulders of yours--ow! Ow! Stop hitting me! I was joking!”

When Ten walked into the storage with Renjun in tow, he fully expected to find Johnny sulking and in a mood, but he was totally unprepared for the vision of a pouting Johnny squatting on the floor, assorted coffee sacks by his side. Some green beans had spilled on the floor and Johnny had arranged them in front of him.

In a sad face.

Johnny had made a sad face out of unroasted coffee.

He couldn’t help it, he burst out laughing into his hands.

“You’re the most adorable idiot I’ve ever met, Johnny Suh.”

“Leave me alone. I’m in the deepest, darkest day of my life. Everything sucks, I wish someone killed me with a spoon, it would be faster.”

Renjun produced an espresso spoon from his apron, and Johnny recoiled.

“Why did you bring the tiny feral one here, he’s scary and I’m vulnerable!”

Ten tried his best to stop laughing, “You’re such a drama queen, Donghyuck’s boyfriend was right. Now stand up you big goof, you need to plan for tomorrow.” 

_____

The shop was closing for the night, Ten, Donghyuck and Renjun all busy inside while Johnny sat alone in his office, still processing everything that had happened. 

Ten had gotten him a date with Jaehyun. 

It was a date, right?

Fuck, what was he going to do! He had not washed his good apron yet and he needed a haircut and- he heard giggling outside his door, by the alley, and he seriously hoped it wasn’t Taeil and Donghyuck getting at it again or he was going to put a fence near the street! 

He stood up, craning his neck into his open window and found a different couple, the gremlin one right at the corner, lingering by the shop’s main entrance. 

Huh.

Yangyang was there, and Johnny had many, many questions. He reached them just as Yangyang cackled at something Jaemin said. 

"Who’s that Dejun guy and why did you bring him into my store?"

"AAAAAAAH!!!" Both Jaemin and his boyfriend shrieked, nearly jumping a meter in the air. 

"Jesuschrist, hyung, don’t sneak up on people like that, for fucks sake!"

"Hush Jaemin, I’m talking to your sidekick. Does he like him?"

Yangyang blinked, struggling with nervous offended laughter at being called a sidekick, then cleared his throat.

"Well, everyone likes Jaehyun hyung--ow!"

Jaemin chose that moment to kick him in the shin. Johnny’s shadow seemed to grow from the alley, darkness surrounding them.

“Babe, what was that for?!" There must have been something in Jaemin’s eyes because comprehension dawned on Yangyang like lightning, "Not like that! Dejun isn’t into him… or maybe he is?"

Jaemin threw his arms around his boyfriend, “Don’t kill him, Johnny please, he obviously doesn’t know and I kinda really like him!"

“Just kind of?! Wha--mphmpmhp!!” Jaemin shoved a hand over his boyfriend’s mouth, Yangyang’s attempts at licking himself free failing because Jaemin was practically immune to it. They had already licked each other plenty, a little spit over his hand was nothing.

"How do you know Jaehyun? You looked awfully close. Oh god, he's not your brother, is he?" Johnny asked, looking at Yangyang from head to toe as if trying to find their likeness. “No, you couldn’t possibly be.” 

"Did you just diss my boyfriend’s looks?!” Jaemin gasped, clutching Yangyang’s head to his bosom, but it almost looked like a chokehold, “Don’t listen to him babe, you’re beautiful.”

Yangyang struggled out of the embrace with a wild cackle, “No! No, Jaehyun isn’t family, he works for my parents firm! Because he’s an architect!”

“Oh that makes sense! An architect, Johnny hyung! We’ve seen his plans, right?” Jaemin shoved his boyfriend away, opting to grab and shake Johnny by the shoulders, his boss blinking at him as if he had just woken up.

"So he’s just an acquaintance?" 

"Yeah. I only see him when I visit my mom’s office.”

“And this Dejun guy?" 

"An upperclassman of mine, he’s an intern at the firm. Jaehyun hyung is his superior." 

"Oh. I see."

“Johnny hyung,” Yangyang said, combing his hair into a decent state after being manhandled by his boyfriend, “Do you like Jaehyun hyung?”

Johnny blinked then turned around, walking briskly back into his office. “Goodnight kids.”

“But do you like hi--ouch! Stop pinching me, Jaemin! Where are we going?!”

“To a place where you can’t be murdered, idiot.”

_____

Jaehyun arrived at 12pm sharp the next day, wearing blue jeans, a black tshirt and his hair up to the side looking like a Levis Jeans ad, and thanks to Ten’s inability to wear his uniform even when he had been the one to come up with the idea, Johnny and his date had the opportunity of wearing spanking new aprons, to the delight of a cooing Donghyuck. 

(Ten was definitely getting a copy of the office’s key, Johnny had promised him, to Ten’s absolute confusion because... he already had a key?)

Anyway, putting aside the fact that Johnny had almost had a stroke when Jaehyun struggled with the apron ties, looking so adorably flustered by his inability to wear the simplest of garments, everything else was going perfectly smooth.

"So, a mocha java blend is always made with beans from Ethiopia and Sumatra-” Johnny looked to his side, finding Jaehyun super close by, nodding wide eyed at him, looking all impressed and beautiful in matching aprons with him and-- Johnny accidentally poured more than necessary, into the grinder, some beans even spilling all over the counter -again. 

Maybe not that smooth.

"Okay Jay, this is not how you do it normally, I wanted to demonstrate how to make a stronger blend,” Someone snorted near them, Jaemin -who had come to the bar to retrieve an order but quickly scurried away when Johnny glared at him. He cleared his throat to continue, “And once we put them here, we select the grain size, depending on the type of equipment we’ll be using for brewing. In the case of this machine, we need a super fine texture, like this, and we top the powder then press it on in the portafilter with this until it’s even, pop it here, twist to lock then place our cups, and… we wait. Voilá there we go! A nice cup of espresso. Now, you try it Jay, with this coffee here.”

While Jaehyun carefully scooped powdered coffee into a second portafilter, Johnny moved away to whisper at Donghyuck, standing by the sink washing the same spoon and saucer he had been holding since Jaehyun arrived. Nosy little brat.

“Please Donghyuck, don't serve this blend to anyone unless they specifically ask you for a drink to SEE sounds."

“So, can I give this to Jaemin instead of his triple espresso?”

“No.  **Never** Jaemin. He’s basically made of caffeine, I don’t want him suddenly jumping dimensions or something.”

“Gotcha boss. Hey, can I bring Ilie to learn--”

“No.”

“Aw but he would look so cute with an apron!”

Johnny considered it, almost agreeing with him, when Jaehyun called for him.

“Is this okay, Johnny?”

“Yes, perfect, now put it here and twist--”

The door chimed open and in came Yangyang followed by an impeccably dressed Dejun in black slacks and a crisp white shirt, a portfolio in hand. Dejun scanned around the shop until he locked eyes with Johnny and Jaehyun, a bright dazzling smile on his face. 

Johnny felt dizzy. 

Johnny felt angry.

Johnny felt--

-lips.

On his mouth. 

Someone was kissing him.

There was a crash near the sink as Donghyuck shrieked, Jaemin’s own gasp of surprise echoing from across the shop, some of the customers even joining in their awe with a few claps and cheers here and there. Ten popped his head out of the storage in time to witness how Jaehyun was going back down from his tiptoes, blushing the brightest pink he had ever seen someone blush, hands still holding Johnny’s cheeks. Ten looked back into the shop to find Kun’s shocked face, a hand covering his wide open mouth.

Johnny had died, right? He blinked, taking in his half full shop, his friends (and their friends), and the man he had been crushing on for more than a year standing in front of him, basically in his arms. 

When had everything become so… perfect?

“Johnny, whatever you’re thinking, it’s wrong,” Jaehyun whispered hurriedly, “I work with Dejun, we're just colleagues. He hugs when he’s nervous, you see, he had a presentation today and I was--mhpm.”

Johnny dipped down to kiss Jaehyun, slower, deeper. The world stopped. Dejun who? 

He couldn’t believe he had everything he wanted.

“Hey, Jay, do you want to leave this place with me?” He said, smiling into Jaehyun’s lips. God, why had he taken so long!

Jaehyun giggled, breaking their kiss, “This is your store, Johnny.”

“Precisely because of that! Too many people watching.” 

Johnny raised to his full height, taking both his and Jaehyun’s aprons off and tossing them to a gaping Donghyuck, who received them with his face. Jaehyun laughed, threading his fingers with Johnny’s, before the barista quickly guided them out from the preparation area and towards the main door.

Ten threw him an enthusiastic thumbs up as they passed by.

Johnny laughed, loud and boisterous, announcing there would be free coffee for everyone -to the delight of his customers and horror of Ten-, before throwing a smirk at Dejun who blinked as the retreating couple ran out and down the street hand in hand.

Jaemin walked over to where his boyfriend stood shell-shocked by his friend.

“Well, that was unexpected,” Jaemin said, his eyebrows up in an amused smirk. Yangyang just nodded.

“Yangyang, you didn’t tell me Jaehyun’s boyfriend owned this place, I would have not hugged him like that yesterday. God, what must he think of me?” Dejun sighed, rubbing his eyes from under his glasses.

“That you’re a homewrecker,” Yangyang replied automatically, and Dejun scowled at him.

“I have a girlfriend, idiot! Wait, does that mean I get free coffee today?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> my apologies to Dejun, it's just that him hugging Jaehyun lives rent free in my mind since it happened and i thought it would be very funny to have that play out here to speed things up, because yes Johnjae definitely were moving to slow on their own XD
> 
> if you find any terrible redaction and spelling mistakes (bcs this was wholly unbetaed lol), let me know. perhaps some of those were entirely on purpose hahaha  
> cheers! :D


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